^^^ Above: Malcolm Chisholm ready to be sworn in for a fourth term as MSP for Edinburgh Northern & Leith

Malcolm Chisholm (Scottish Labour) was sworn in on May 11th, along with the other 128 MSPs. Malcolm is the only directly elected Labour MSP in Edinburgh, and continues a Parliamentary career which began in 1992, when he succeeded Ron Brown as the Westminster MP for Edinburgh North & Leith.

Malcolm will continue to hold weekly surgeries every Saturday morning, in Leith Library from 9.00, and in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre from 11. Thanks to Ellie Casson for the picture.

^^^ Above: Group discussing the need for more things for young people to do in Leith

The Citadel Youth Centre, Leith, teamed up with Leith Open Space on Friday May 20th to hold a discussion afternoon based around the theme: "What's it like to be young in Leith?

Topics of concern were the need for more things to do in Leith - at realistic and affordable prices, territorialism, alcohol and drugs; curfew times, gang culture, drug dealers, and identity issues. Young people argued that the closure of local amenities was making it easier for drug dealers to target them.

The issues voted as the highest priorites were, the need for Cheaper leisure choices, the pressure from peers to drink,
the need to be brave about your identity, a call for youth clubs and agencies to work together to break down territorialism,
and the role of policing and policy on gangs.

You can read much more about some of the surprising things people said in Fay Young's report on the Leith Open Space web site. The event was facilitated by Maggie Havergal.

^^^ Above: The site on Montgomery St Park being prepared for the building of steps down to the park

The Montgomery St Park Masterplan started to come together on the Spring Bank Holiday morning of May 30th.

Friends of the Park have consulted with local residents over some three years as to how the park should look. The group recently won a £40,000 grant from WREN. The grant will pay to build plaza sytle steps down from the play park to the green part of the park.

Right >>>: Josie shows her interest in the work. Thanks to Tasca Shadix, secretary of the Friends of Montgomery St Park for the picture.

June 16th to 19th saw a series of free open air blockbuster screenings in the early evenings in St Andrews Square Gardens. Leith & North loves the idea, though maybe with a bit of carbon offsetting for the giant plasma screens? Film buffs: can you work out what this movie was?

The ambitious gallery opens from a mews directly out on to the street, which gives it a very distinctive ambience. It plans to hold a range of month long exhibitions featuring different genres and media. The gallery is currently showcasing paintings and sculptures by Portuguese artists.

^^^ Above: Friends of the Earth campaigners pose some of the many questions hanging over the Leith Biomass Plant.

Leith Biomass Plant IS still coming - unless Leithers unite to stop it. Your chance to object closed on March 11th! The SNP Government received 1900 responses, and is STILL working it's way through them. Malcolm Chisholm, (Labour's candidate to continue as MSP, for Edinburgh Northern, as the constituency will now become) questioned SNP Energy Minister Jim Mather in the very last session of Parliament. Jim Mather revealed that at the present count, 1,156 had objected, 2 had written in favour, and a further 732 had yet to be logged.

Meantime, you can find out more on the No Leith Biomass web site, which spells out the pros and cons to help you make up your own mind.
There is also a model objection letter for you to download, copy, personalise and send off. Leith & North says "It'll be very big; it'll be very smelly; and it'll be very ugly (probably - we're keeping an open mind).

Left <<<:Three Leithers reading about the Biomass Plant.Right >>>: Malcolm Chisholm being briefed by campaigner Sally Miller.Sidebar >>>: Mark Lazarowicz with mock ups of the Biomass Plant
Sally Miller one of the campaigners, summed things up "Forth Ports with all their legal resources have had over a year to draw up their proposals and make their case - local residents been given 28 days".
Malcolm Chisholm has been active in opposing the proposal, along with others, including all three Leith Councillors.

Malcolm Chisholm in his formal letter of objection writes: "It is fair to say that nobody has contacted me in support of the proposal so I am in no doubt that the proposal is overwhelmingly opposed by the community in Leith and further afield."
You can read the full letter on Malcolm Chisholm's web site >>>.

Local activist Mona Tarbuck who has been fighting the Seafield Stench for years, declared that she feels even more strongly about the Biomass Plant - that's how bad she thinks it will smell!

In his closely argued letter of objection, Leith Councillor Gordon Munro wrote "The proposal does not 'contribute towards a high quality sustainable living environment' and is damaging to 'Leith Conservation Area'...The plant will be visible from the Pentland Hills, Fife, East Lothian, the Firth of Forth, as well as the World Heritage Centre in the City Centre".
You can read the full letter by downloading here >>>.
Below: Actual plans of the Biomass Plant are not available: here is a projection based on the known dimension of the proposed plant.

Eddie Izzard took a break from campaigning "Yes" to AV, to join Iain Gray and local Labour Party members at a barbeque in Leith Dockers Club.

Eddie enjoyed the celebrated sunshine on Leith and a burger on Sunday April 26th. Eddie and Iain Gray, walked round Leith Dockers club greeting members, who'd packed the place out for the crucial Old Firm fixture.

Poverty hustings at the Haddington Place Youth Hostel attracted a small audience, but a high level of debate.

Questions and issues covered included, the financing of local government, central government measures to alleviate poverty versus local accountability, the impact of poverty on children's health, wellbeing and learning, children's centres and support for early years, school uniform grants, working motherhood, poverty proofing government measures, custodial sentencing and rehabilitation policy, and dealing with the root causes of poverty versus tinkering round the edges. Broadly, there was cross party agreement on the living wage of £7.15.

Sheila Low (Tory candidate for Northern & Leith,) was sunny and presented an agenda on education and wealth creation which seemed to understand some, but not all of the issues. Malcolm Chisholm (Labour candidate for Northern & Leith,) was perhaps the most reflective and considered, with a broad understanding of the issues, and a focus on children's early years. Alison Johnstone (Green, list) was knowledgeable and commited. Shirley-Anne Somerville (SNP candidate for Northern & Leith,) was well briefed, commited and very professional, but hampered by having to defend several SNP policies and the Scottish Executive's four year record, throughout the debate. Jacquie Bell (Lib Dem, list) was knowledgeable, and sensible, but had a distracting way of speaking. Ken O'Neill (Independent, list) got off to an embarrassing start by quoting an infants' story book, but was concerned, thoughtful, idealistic, and willing to explore ideas. Catriona Grant (SSP, list) spoke with passion, calling for a progressive tax to pay for local services, and also had wide understanding of the issues from the field, as a social worker.

Some spoke better than others, noone disgraced themselves, although the Tory, Sheila Low (Conservative, not pictured) seemed to focus on the role of schools and education, and a simple view of wealth creation as the sole solutions to the problems.

The debate in the Question Time format was organised by the Poverty Alliance, the Child Poverty Action Group, Oxfam and Save the Children and Playbusters. It took place on April 26th and was chaired by John Dickie of CPAG and lasted well over two hours.

Victoria Primary School's P6 & P7 invited local people to enjoy all they have learned as part of the Enterprise & Active Learning. Guests were treated to a three course meal of tomato & basil soup, shepherd's pie and chocolate coated strawberries and ice cream.

The whole menu was part of a fortnight long project, in which pupils budgeted, prepared and served up the whole meal.
As Mrs Thomson said the menu was about healthy eating with both pleasure and reward. Leith & North's editor was impressed with both the ambitious pupils pictured above, one of whom wishes to go into software design, the other into business. The event took place, February 7th at the school in Newhaven.

Poet and playwright Jo Clifford (pictured left,) spoke with joy and inspiration of seeing all the visions displayed "cutting an imaginary ribbon, and cracking open an imaginary bottle of champagne, and naming this ship “The Amazing Exhibition”.

World Cafe takes place on the last Friday of every month, and each month invites a local celebrity to work in the kitchen. In March it was "Malcolm Chisholm Cooks For You" time. Malcolm, who is standing again as the MSP for Edinburgh North & Leith prepared and served an appetising and nutritious lentil soup, as befitted a former Scottish Health Minister.

World Cafe offers a spectacular, home cooked, eat all your buffet at five pound a head. The cafe area in North Edinburgh Arts Centre is spacious and attractively decorated, and there was some haunting live singing to accompany the meal. World Cafe is organised by CORE (Community Organisation for Racial Equality) and opens at 5.00pm. Soft and alcoholic drinks are available for sale to accompany your meal. The menu also included homemade styled Chinese veg dish, African spinach, Moroccan chicken, and a tasty Pakistani rice.

UNISON members were joined by Malcolm Chisholm and Sarah Boyack MSPs for Edinburgh North & Leith and Central, on a dark, dreich December morning to lobby the Council meeting.
Malcolm and Sarah called upon the Council to halt its reckless privatisation programme.

Edinburgh Council, currently run by the Liberal Democrats and the SNP voted on December 16th to spend a further £1 million in a tendering process which will involve up to a quarter of Council services.
This is in the face of its troubled relationship with tramwork contractors Bilfinger-Berger, and despite four of the companies in the tendering process having received multi-million pound fines for price fixing in public sector contracts.

Venues in the Leith and North Edinburgh area include Broughton High, Dr. Bells Swimming Pool, Drummond High, Duncan Place Resource Centre, Forth Community Wing, Leith Community Centre and Leith Primary School.